3-D printable multi-baffled firearm suppressor

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a sound suppressor adapted to be operable with all manners of firearm, including autoloading firearms. In one example, a sound suppressor comprises a unitary single-piece body configured with centrally aligned baffle chambers circumferentially surrounded by exhaust gas chambers.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sound suppressor comprising:
 an outer housing; 
 gaps positioned between the outer housing and outer boundary walls and the gaps forming at least one air cavity separated from exhaust gas chambers; 
 the exhaust gas chambers within the outer boundary walls; 
 inner boundary walls separating the exhaust gas chambers from baffle chambers; and 
 the baffle chambers positioned within and surrounded by the inner boundary walls and the exhaust gas chambers; 
 wherein the outer housing, exhaust gas chambers, and baffle chambers are 3D printed and integrally formed. 
 
     
     
       2. The sound suppressor of  claim 1 , wherein the sound suppressor is formed from a single, unitary material and wherein the outer housing, exhaust gas chambers, and baffle chambers form a continuous integrated structure. 
     
     
       3. The sound suppressor of  claim 1 , wherein the outer housing includes a first portion formed from plurality of curved panels, the plurality of curved panels coupled to one another at rounded corners of the outer housing that extend along a length of the plurality of curved panels, the length aligned with a central axis of the sound suppressor. 
     
     
       4. The sound suppressor of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion has a uniform diameter along the length of the first portion, and the diameter perpendicular to the length. 
     
     
       5. The sound suppressor of  claim 4 , wherein the first portion extends from a mid-point along a length of the suppressor to a downstream end of the sound suppressor, and the downstream end relative to a direction of projectile travel through the sound suppressor. 
     
     
       6. The sound suppressor of  claim 5 , wherein the outer housing has a second portion that is conically-shaped and extends from an upstream end of the sound suppressor to the mid-point of the sound suppressor, the upstream end opposite of the downstream end, and the second portion of the outer housing coupled to the first portion at the mid-point. 
     
     
       7. The sound suppressor of  claim 6 , wherein a diameter of the second portion increases from the upstream end to the mid-point, and the diameter of the second portion at the mid-point equal to the diameter of the first portion. 
     
     
       8. The sound suppressor of  claim 5 , wherein the exhaust gas chambers extend along the length of the first portion of the outer housing,
 wherein the exhaust gas chambers have partitions within an inner volume of each of the exhaust chambers that divides the inner volume of each of the exhaust chambers in semi-chambers, and each semi-chamber fluidly coupled to adjacent semi-chambers. 
 
     
     
       9. The sound suppressor of  claim 8 , wherein the semi-chambers have triangular and/or pentagonal cross-sections when the cross-sections are taken along a plane parallel with the central axis and rectangular cross-sections when the cross-sections are taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis. 
     
     
       10. The sound suppressor of  claim 9 , wherein each of the exhaust gas chambers is coupled to a separate vent in an end wall at the downstream end of the outer housing, and the end wall aligned perpendicular to the central axis of the sound suppressor. 
     
     
       11. The sound suppressor of  claim 10 , wherein each exhaust gas chamber is a separate and discrete exhaust passage from the other exhaust gas chambers and the baffle chambers, a path of gas flow through each of the exhaust gas chambers begins at an inlet opening in an upstream end of the sound suppressor and terminates at the vent in the end wall, and the path of gas flow has a twisting, non-linear geometry. 
     
     
       12. The sound suppressor of  claim 11 , wherein each of the exhaust gas chambers is spaced away from the outer housing of the sound suppressor along a planar side of each of the exhaust chambers and connected to the outer housing along outer corners of each of the plurality of exhaust gas chambers. 
     
     
       13. The sound suppressor of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle chambers are aligned linearly along a central axis of the sound suppressor surrounding a path of projectile travel through the sounds suppressor. 
     
     
       14. The sound suppressor of  claim 13 , wherein each of the baffle chambers includes a first, upstream wall and a second, downstream wall, and both the first and second walls are shaped as semi-circular shells that curve in opposite directions along the central axis. 
     
     
       15. A firearm system comprising,
 a firearm including a barrel; and 
 a suppressor coupled to the barrel, the suppressor including:
 a unitary, single-piece body having:
 a plurality of baffle chambers encapsulating a projectile pathway extending through a central axis of the body, 
 a plurality of exhaust gas chambers surrounding the plurality of baffle chambers and separated from the plurality of baffle chambers by inner boundary walls, 
 an outer housing enclosing the plurality of exhaust gas chambers and the plurality of baffle chambers, 
 outer boundary walls separating the outer housing and the plurality of exhaust gas chambers, and 
 gaps formed between the outer boundary walls and the outer housing, and the gaps forming at least one air cavity separated from the exhaust gas chambers. 
 
 
 
     
     
       16. The firearm system of  claim 15 , wherein a first inner chamber is arranged at an upstream end of the suppressor within the outer housing, and the first inner chamber positioned upstream of the plurality of exhaust gas chambers and the plurality of baffle chambers. 
     
     
       17. The suppressor of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of exhaust gas chambers have openings at upstream ends of each of the exhaust gas chambers that fluidly couple inner volumes of each of the plurality of exhaust gas chambers to the first inner chamber and have openings in an end wall at a downstream end of the outer housing. 
     
     
       18. The suppressor of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of baffle chambers have two semi-conical shells with opposite curvatures and each of the two semi-conical shells has an aperture wall that encircles the projectile pathway, a first aperture wall extending downstream from a first semi-conical shell and another aperture wall extending upstream from a second semi-conical shell, and the first and second semi-conical shell have opposite curvatures. 
     
     
       19. A sound suppressor comprising;
 an elongate housing with a central axis aligned with a length of the housing; 
 gaps between the elongate housing and outer boundary walls, and the gaps forming at least one air cavity separated from a plurality of exhaust gas chambers; 
 the plurality of exhaust gas chambers positioned within the outer boundary walls, and extending along a portion of the length of the housing, and spaced away from the housing; 
 inner boundary walls within the plurality of exhaust gas chambers; and 
 a plurality of baffle chambers positioned within the inner boundary walls, surrounded by the plurality of exhaust gas chambers, and aligned along the central axis, 
 wherein the sound suppressor is 3D printed as a single, continuous, unitary structure.